Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways
Action plan formulated for 26 National Waterways found viable for cargo and passenger movement
To promote Inland Water Transport in the country through rivers, 111 waterways including the 5 previously notified National Waterways  have been declared as National Waterways under the National Waterways Act, 2016. On the basis of outcome of techno-economic feasibility study and Detailed Project Report  of these NWs, action plan has been formulated for 26 NWs which were found viable for cargo and passenger movement. At present, development initiatives have been taken up in the 18 NWs. The detail is at Annexure-I.
The steps taken by the Government for promotion of water based transport system are detailed at Annexure-II.
Annexure-I
LIST OF 26 NATIONAL WATERWAYS 
FOUND FEASIBLE FOR CARGO / PASSENGER MOVEMENT
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Sl. No
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NW
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Details of Waterways
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Length 
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STATES
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Status
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1
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NW 1
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Ganga-Bhagirathi-Hooghly River System 
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1620
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Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand & West Bengal
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Development taken up with Assistance from World Bank JalMargVikas Project 
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2
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NW 2
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Brahmaputra River 
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891
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Assam
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Development taken up as per approved Standing Finance Committee  for FY 2020-21 to 2024-25
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3
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NW 16
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Barak River 
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121
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Assam
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4
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NW 3
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West Coast Canal , Champakara and Udyogmandal Canals
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205
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Kerala
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Mostly Operational
Waterways. Development and maintenance work taken up.
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5
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NW 4
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Krishna River 
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82
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Andhra Pradesh
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6
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NW 5
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Dhamra-Paradip via Mangalagadi to Pankopal
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233
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Odisha
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7
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NW 8
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Alappuzha- Changanassery Canal
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29
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Kerala
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8
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NW 9
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Alappuzha - Kottayam – Athirampuzha Canal
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40
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Kerala 
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9
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NW 27
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Cumberjua River 
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17
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Goa
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10
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NW 68
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Mandovi River 
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41
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Goa
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11
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NW 111
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Zuari River 
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50
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Goa
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12
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NW 86
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Rupnarayan River 
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72
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West Bengal
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13
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NW 97
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Sunderbans Waterway 
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172
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West Bengal
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14
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NW 40
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Ghagra River 
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345
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Bihar & U.P.
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15
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NW 52
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Kali River 
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53
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Karnataka
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16
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NW 44
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Ichamati River 
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63
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West Bengal
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17
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NW 57
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Kopili River 
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50
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Assam
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18
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NW 31
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Dhansiri River 
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110
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Assam
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19
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NW 10
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Amba River 
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45
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Maharashtra
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Mostly operational waterway. Selected for further development.
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20
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NW 28
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Dabhol Creek Vasisti River 
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45
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Maharashtra
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21
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NW 25
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Chapora River 
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25
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Goa
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22
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NW 37
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Gandak River 
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296
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Bihar & U.P.
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23
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NW 73
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Narmada River 
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226
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Maharashtra & Gujarat
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24
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NW 85
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Revadanda Creek - Kundalika River System 
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31
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Maharashtra
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25
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NW 94
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Sone River 
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141
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Bihar
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26
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NW 100
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Tapi River 
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436
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Maharashtra & Gujarat
Annexure-II
STEPS TAKEN FOR GROWTH OF CARGO TRANSPORTATION ON WATERWAYS
1. Initiatives for growth of traffic on National Waterways :
i. Fairway development works:
Fairway development works to ensure Least Available Depth  of 3.0 meter in Haldia-Barh, 2.5 meter in Barh-Ghazipur and 2.2 meter in Ghazipur-Varanasi stretches on NW-1 are in progress under the JalMargVikas Project  which has been undertaken by IWAI with technical and financial assistance from World Bank. Similarly, to improve the connectivity between NW-1 and NW-2/NW-16 via the Indo Bangladesh protocol route, the critical and shallow stretches between Sirajganj and Daikhowa on protocol route No1 & 2 and Ashuganj and Zakiganj on protocol rote no 3 &4 in Bangladesh are being jointly developed by India and Bangladesh for round the year navigability . Similarly, fairway development works are being carried out on NW-97 in Sunderbans to allow smooth navigation of vessels on the Indo-Bangladesh Protocol Route.
ii. Development of New National Waterways:
IWAI has identified 26 new NWs through techno-economic feasibility studies for undertaking technical interventions to make the waterways navigable for transportation purpose. Once ready, these new waterways will provide an alternate mode of transportation in respective geographies.
iii. Ro-Ro/Ro-Pax Service Commenced in Various National Waterways:
The Operation of Ro-Ro / Ro-Pax vessels inaugurated by Hon’ble Prime Minster during February 2021 for the following routes:
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Vessel Name
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Ro-Ro/Ro-Pax Services between
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Date of Inauguration by Hon'ble Prime Minister
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MV Rani Gaidinliu& MV SachinDeve Barman
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Neamati and Kamalabari 
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18.02.2021
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MV JFR Jacob
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Guwahati and North Guwahati
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18.02.2021
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MV Bob Khathing
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Dhubri and Fakirganj (U/S Hatsingimar
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18.02.2021
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MV AdiShankara& MV
C.V. Raman
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Wellingdon Island and Bolghaty
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14.02.2021
iv. Revision of Levy & Collection of Fees:
Taking ahead the vision of the Government of India to promote Inland Waterways as a supplementary mode of transport, the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways has considered waiver of waterway user charges initially for a period of three years.
2. Digital Solutions for Ease-of-Doing Business:
• CAR-D  Portal: CAR-D is a web based portal for collection & compilation, analysis and dissemination of all cargo and cruise movement data of National Waterways to the stakeholders.
• PANI : PANI is an integrated solution brining river navigation and infrastructure information on a single platform. It provides detailed information of various features of National Waterways and the assets such as fairway, infrastructure facilities, cross-river structures, connectivity at jetties, emergency services for facilitating transportation of cargo.
These solutions increase collaboration across divergent stakeholders, improve organizational consistency, increased resource agility, enhances ownership and accountability for each stakeholder leading to improved management of activities. By having public access to key work being done by IWAI for the sector, will enhance IWAI’s standing in the market and will increase trust in the sector.
3. Enhanced regional trade using IWT mode:
- Addition of new Ports of Call and routes in India and Bangladesh under PIWT&T: With 7 new ports of call in addition to existing 6 on each side along with addition/ extension of 2 waterway routes in addition to existing 8 routes under PIWT&T between India and Bangladesh, the accessibility of IWT mode for trade between India and Bangladesh is expected to increase and result in growth of traffic on NWs.
- Trade between Bhutan and Bangladesh: Stone exporters from Bhutan have identified Inland waterways as an alternate mode of transportation considering the benefits associated with waterways mode such as lower transportation cost, larger shipment size compared to road, avoiding congestion on land routes etc. The first movement under supervision of IWAI was successfully executed in July 2019. This trade using the IWT mode is expected to continue and reach a significant scale in the coming years.
4. Standard Operating Procedures  for facilitating the Stakeholders to use Inland Water Transport and access the various information related to National Waterways:
The list of Standard Operating Procedures  for various National Waterways which are available at IWAI website is as given below:
- Standard Operating Procedures  of the Agreement on the use of Chattogram and Mongla Ports for movement of goods to and from India between the Government of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh and the Government of Republic of India.
- Standard Operating Procedures  of MoU on Passenger and Cruise Services on the Coastal and Protocol Route between the Government of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh and the Government of Republic of India.
- Standard Operating Procedures  for the MoU on use of Inland Waterways for Transportation of Bilateral Trade and Transit cargoes between the Government of People’s Republic of Bangladesh and the Government of Republic of India.
- Standard Operating Procedures  for the Movement of Vessels on Protocol on Inland Water Transit and Trade  to contain the spread of COVID19.
- Standard Operating Procedures  and Check List for Ro-Ro / Ro-Pax vessel operations on National Waterways.
- Standard Operating Procedures  for Car-D Portal.
5. Stakeholder consultations:
IWAI carried out stakeholder consultations at six different locations  in FY-20, 9 nos. during FY-21 and 06 nos. conference-cum-webinars in FY22 for cargo promotion.
The Waterways Conclave was held at Dibrugarh on 11th & 12th April, 2022. The event was attended by 4 neighbouring countries and 12 waterway connected states for promotion of Waterway.
The 1st Incredible India International Cruise Conference 2022 was organized by at Mumbai on 14-15 May, 2022. The Sessions relating to Potential of River Cruising was organised by IWAI wherein leading cruise operators had participated. These interactions helped in promoting waterways as a mode of transportation and understanding expectations and feedback of stakeholders. IWAI is undertaking targeted initiatives to address the expectation and feedback received to further enhance traffic on NWs.
- PM Gati Shakti Multimodal Waterway Connectivity Summit held in Varanasi from 11th -12th November 2022 attended by Hon’ble Union Minister of Ports, Shipping & Waterways , Hon’ble Chief Minister, Uttar Pradesh, Hon’ble Union Minister of Commerce, Hon’ble Ministers- PSW. This summit focussed on creating more awareness about the PM Gati Shakti and 07 community jetties were inaugurated, and foundation stones laid for 08 community jetties on the Ganga.
- Flagging off of world’s longest river cruise and waterways development projects inaugurated and foundation stone was laid online by Hon’ble Prime Minister in the presence of Hon’ble Minister PSW, Hon’ble Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh on 13th January 2023 at Varanasi.
6. Interventions under the World Bank supported JMVP-II 
project for the socio-economic upliftment of the population living around
river Ganga i.e. NW-1:
JMVP-II  is being developed on an approach based on the principles
on the sustainable development model to energize economic activities which will
impact on overall over all ecosystems along the riverbank.
This can lead to inclusive growth and play a key role in improving the
livelihoods of the populations with the transportation of goods and
passengers  through National Waterways No. 1.
The project is envisaged at a total cost of Rs. 746.00 cr. as below:
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Sl.No.
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Project Component
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Estimated cost 
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1
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Fairway development
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300
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2
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River Information System and survey activities
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111
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3
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Modernization of Existing navigational Lock at Farakka
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100
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4
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Construction of Community jetties and Ro-Ro terminals
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175
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5
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IWT Promotions and consultancy etc.
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60
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Total
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746
This information was given by the Union Minister for Ports, Shipping and Waterways, Shri Sarbananda Sonowal in a written reply to the Lok Sabha.